Deaths from this opioid drug are on the rise in Pierce County and Washington state
Fentanyl-related overdoses are increasing in Pierce County and are following state and national trends, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Preliminary data from the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office show 55 fentanyl-related deaths from January to June 2021, according to a blog post from the TPCHD. Chelsea Amato, opioid task force coordinator for the TPCHD, authored the post.
In 2020, there were 95 fentanyl-related deaths in the county, according to the blog post. In 2019, 40 deaths were reported, and 22 deaths were reported in 2018.
“These deaths involve both medical and non-medical fentanyl use.” Amato wrote. “These deaths include those where the primary cause of death involved fentanyl, as well as those where it was a contributing factor or if any trace of fentanyl was present.”
Preliminary state data shows 418 overdose deaths from January to March 2021, according to the state Department of Health. There were 378 deaths reported during the same three months last year. Of the 418 total, 191 or 46 percent, were fentanyl-related deaths.
Of the 191 total fentanyl-related deaths, 55 were people under 30 years old. Overdose deaths were highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanic/Latinx, Black populations and others “already dealing with inequitable health outcomes,” according to the DOH.
At the national level, fentanyl-related deaths increased over 16 percent from 2018 to 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 36,000 people died in 2019, which is about 12 times higher compared to 2013.
Fentanyl is an opioid medication that can treat severe pain. People also use fentanyl to cope with stressors like trauma, depression and anxiety, Amato wrote in the blog post. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the rise in usage.
The opioid is manufactured illicitly and is 80-100 times stronger than morphine, Amato wrote. Those who purchase and sell drugs illegally might not be aware of the make-up of their products and end up with a “potentially more dangerous product.”
People cannot detect fentanyl by its look, smell or taste, and illegal drugs like heroin, methamphetamine and fake prescription pills can have illicit fentanyl in them, Amato wrote.
Washingtonians should be aware of blue pills with “M 30” written on them as they are marketed as prescription opioid medication, according to the DOH. The pills may have illicit fentanyl, and the purity and potency of a single pill might vary.
Measures people can take to prevent themselves or others from overdosing include the use of naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid poisoning. It can be found at local organizations or pharmacies for free.
Medications such as methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone can also treat opioid use disorders. They are covered by insurance, including Medicaid. Other resources can be found on TPCHD’s or the state DOH’s website.
